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the élite of the Parisian population； had just cheered him as he
passed。＇77＇ 〃Hurrah for the King！ Hurrah for Louis XVI。！ He is our
King and we want no other； we want him only！ Down with the rioters！
Down with the Jacobins！ We will defend him unto death！ Let him put
himself at our head！ Hurrah for the Nation； the Law； the Constitution；
and the King； which are all one！ If the gunners were silent； and
seemed ill…disposed；＇78＇ it was simply necessary to disarm them
suddenly； and hand over their pieces to loyal men。 Four thousand
rifles and eleven pieces of artillery； protected by the walls of the
courts and by the thick masonry of the palace； were certainly
sufficient against the nine or ten thousand Jacobins in Paris； most of
them pikemen； badly led by improvised or rebellious battalion
officers；＇79＇ and； still worse； commanded by their new general；
Santerre； who； always cautious； kept himself aloof in the H？tel…de…
ville； out of harm's way。 The only staunch men in the Carrousel were
the eight hundred men from Brest and Marseilles； the rest consisted of
a rabble like that of July 14； October 5； and June 20；＇80＇ the palace；
says Napoleon Bonaparte； was attacked by the vilest canaille；
professional rioters； Maillard's band； and the bands of Lazowski；
Fournier； and Théroigne； by all the assassins； indeed of the previous
night and day； and of the following day； which species of combatants；
as was proved by the event； would have scattered at the first
discharge of a cannon。 But； with the governing as with the
governed； all notion of the State was lost； the former through
humanity become a duty； and the latter through insubordination erected
into a right。 At the close of the eighteenth century； in the upper as
well as in the middle class； there was a horror of blood；＇81＇ refined
social ways； coupled with an idyllic imagination； had softened the
militant disposition。 Everywhere the magistrates had forgotten that
the maintenance of society and of civilization is a benefit of
infinitely greater importance than the lives of a parcel of maniacs
and malefactors； that the prime object of government； as well as of a
police； is the preservation of order by force； that a gendarme is not
a philanthropist； that； if attacked on his post； he must use his
sword； and that； in sheathing it for fear of wounding his aggressors；
he fails to do his duty。
This time again； in the court of the Carrousel； the magistrates on the
spot； finding that 〃their responsibility is insupportable；〃 concern
themselves only with how to 〃avoid the effusion of blood；〃 it is with
regret； and this they state to the troops； 〃in faltering tones；〃 that
they proclaim martial law。＇82＇ They 〃forbid them to attack；〃 merely
〃authorizing them to repel force with force；〃 in other words； they
order them to stand up to the first fire； 〃you are not to fire until
you are fired upon。〃 Still better； they go from company to company；
〃openly declaring that opposition to such a large and well…armed
assemblage would be folly； and that it would be a very great
misfortune to attempt it。〃 〃I repeat to you；〃 said Leroux； 〃that a
defense seems to me madness。〃 Such is the way in which； for more
than an hour； they encourage the National Guard。 〃All I ask；〃 says
Leroux again； 〃is that you wait a little longer。 I hope that we shall
induce the King to yield to the National Assembly。〃 Always the
same tactics： hand the fortress and the general over rather than fire
on the mob。 To this end they return to the King； with R？derer at their
head； and renew their efforts： 〃Sire；〃 says R？derer； 〃time presses；
and we ask you to consent to accompany us。〃 For a few moments； the
last and most solemn of the monarchy； the King hesitates。＇83＇ His
good sense； probably； enabled him to see that a retreat was
abdication； but his phlegmatic understanding is at first unable to
clearly define its consequences； moreover； his optimism had never
explored the vastness of the stupidity of the people； nor sounded the
depths of human malice and spite； he cannot imagine that slander may
transform his determination not to shed blood into a desire to shed
blood。＇84＇ Besides； he is bound by his past； by his habit of always
yielding； by his determination； declared and maintained for the past
three years； never to cause civil war； by his obstinate
humanitarianism； and especially by his religious goodwill。 He has
systematically extinguished in himself the animal instinct of
resistance； the flash of anger in all of us which starts up under
unjust and brutal aggressions； the Christian has supplanted the King；
he is no longer aware that duty obliges him to be a man of the sword
that； in his surrender； he surrenders the State； and that to yield
like a lamb is to lead all honest people； along with himself； to the
slaughterhouse。 〃Let us go；〃 said he； raising his right hand； 〃we will
give； since it is necessary； one more proof of our self…
sacrifice。〃＇85＇ Accompanied by his family and Ministers； he sets out
between two lines of National Guards and the Swiss Guard；＇86＇ and
reaches the Assembly； which sends a deputation to meet him； entering
the chamber he says： 〃I come here to prevent a great crime。 〃 No
pretext； indeed； for a conflict now exists。 An assault on the
insurgent side is useless； since the monarch； with all belonging to
him and his government； have left the palace。 On the other side； the
garrison will not begin the fight； diminished by 150 Swiss and nearly
all the grenadiers of the Filles…Saint…Thomas； who served as the
King's escort to the Assembly； it is reduced to a few gentlemen； 750
Swiss； and about a hundred National Guards； the others； on learning
that the King is going； consider their services at an end and
disperse。＇87＇ All seems to be over in the sacrifice of royalty。
Louis XVI。 imagines that the Assembly； at the worst； will suspend him
from his functions； and that he will return to the Tuileries as a
private individual。 On leaving the palace； indeed； he orders his
valet to keep up the service until he himself returns from the
National Assembly。＇88＇
He did not count on the exigencies； blindness and disorders of the
riot。 Threatened by the Jacobin gunners remaining with their artillery
in the inside courts； the gatekeepers open the gates。 The insurgents
rush in； fraternise with the gunners； reach the vestibule； ascend the
grand staircase； and summon the Swiss to surrender。＇89＇ These show
no hostile spirit； many of them； as a mark of good humor； throw
packets of cartridges out of the windows； some even go so far as to
let themselves be embraced and led away。 The regiment； however；
faithful to its orders； will not yield to force。＇90＇ 〃We are Swiss；〃
replies the sergeant； Blaser； 〃the Swiss do not part with their arms
but with their lives。 We think that we do not merit such an insult。
If the regiment is no longer wanted； let it be legally discharged。
But we will not leave our post； nor will we let our arms be taken from
us。〃 The two bodies of troops remain facing each other on the
staircase for three…quarters of an hour； almost intermingled； one
silent and the other excited； turbulent； and active； with all the
ardor and lack of discipline peculiar to a popular gathering； each
insurgent striving apart； and in his own way； to corrupt； intimidate；
or constrain the Swiss Guards。 Granier； of Marseilles； at the head of
the staircase； holds two of them at arms' length； trying in a friendly
manner to draw them down。＇91＇ At the foot of the staircase the crowd
is shouting and threatening； lighter men； armed with boat…hooks；
harpoon the sentinels by their shoulder…straps； and pull down four or
five； like so many fishes； amid shouts of laughter。 Just at this
moment a pistol goes off； nobody being able to tell which party fired
it。＇92＇ The Swiss； firing from above； clean out the vestibule and the
courts； rush down into the square and seize the cannon； the insurgents
scatte